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ESPN Announces the Top Ten Finalists for the “Fan Hall of Fame”

Today, ESPN unveiled the ten finalists for the Fan Hall of Fame, an institution that will induct three more remarkable and inspiring sports fans after a nationwide search. Starting today, finalists will campaign for public votes for the opportunity to be honored with their names engraved above three stadium chairs on the lawn of ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., campus. The 2013 Induction Class will be revealed on Dec. 13 and honored at an induction ceremony in 2014.

Selected by a diverse panel of judges, each of the finalists will have their own 15-second spot featured on ESPN’s platforms, as well as on the Fan Hall of Fame website, where public voting for the three inductees is taking place until Dec. 11.

“We’ve received thousands of submissions from fans of all sports, each telling unique and heartfelt stories about fandom,” said Jeffrey Gonyo, senior director of sports marketing at ESPN. “Our finalists represent a variety of leagues, including the NFL, NBA, MLB as well as the SEC and the Big 12. As huge sports fans ourselves, this campaign has been incredibly fun and we’re inspired by the opportunity to celebrate the passion and dedication of each finalist.”

This year’s initiative saw a 41 percent increase in submissions compared to the inaugural year, with applicants from more than 120 NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL teams. Additionally, NASCAR and rugby fans around the country entered the competition, along with fans from the Premier League, MLS, La Liga, Bundesliga, High School Sports and Arena League Football.

This year’s finalists, complete with their adored teams and 15-second spots, include:

This year’s campaign was developed in collaboration with RED Interactive and 77 Ventures. Last year’s inductees included Vancouver Canucks fans and legendary Green Men,“Sully” and “Force,” Baltimore Ravens icon “Captain Dee-Fense” and the University of Alabama softball team’s Emily Pitek.

Fans can vote on the finalists at FanHallofFame.com and follow the competition on social media using the hashtag #FanHallofFame.

*Excluding Quebec

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